The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-08-17
doing now9 In brighter conversation there

doing nowl In brighter conversation there
and in grander sociality.
! What place to visit in, where your next
door neighbors are kings and queens. You
yourselves kingly and queenly. If they want to
know more particularly about the first
| Paradise, they have only to 60 over and ask
Adam. If they want to know how the sun
and the moon halted, they have only to 90
! over and ask Joshua. II they want to know
how the storm pelted Sodon, they have only
: to 20 over and ask Lot. II they want to
know more about the arrogance OF
/ Haman, they have only to go over and ask
| Mordecai. II they want to know how the
Red Sea boiled when it was cloven, they have
| only to 20 over and ask Moses If they want
! to know the particulars aboat the Bethlehem
i advent teey have only to go over and ask
the serenading angels who stood that Christ
mas night in the balconies Of crystal. II they
want to know more Of the particulars OF the
cruc,fi1ion, they have only to go over and ask
those who were personal spectators while the
! mountains crouched and the heavens got black
in the face at the spectacle. II they want to
know more about the sufferings Of the Scotch
Covenanters, they have only to go over and
ask Andrew Melville. II they want to know
! more about the old-time revivals, they have
only to 60 over and ask Whitefeld, and Wes-
! ley, and Livingston, and Fletcher and Nettle-
ton, and Finney. Oh! what a place to VISIT
In. -,
II eternity were one minute shorter it would
not be long enough for such sociality. Think
of our friends in this world who were pas
sionately fond Of flowers turned into Para
disc. Think Of our friends who were very
fond Of raising superb fruit turned into the
orchard where each tree has twelve kinds Of
fruit at once, and bearing the fruit all the
year round.
What are our departed Christian friends
doing in Heaven-those who on earth found
their chief joy in the Gospel ministry? They
are visiting their old congregations.
Most Of those ministers have got their peo-
pie around them already. When get to
heayen-as by the grace OF God am des-
tined to 60 to that place-1 will come and see
you all Yea, will come to all the people to
whom have ministered i'll the Gospel, and
to the millions Of souls to whom, through the
kindness Of the printing press, am permitted
to preach every week i'll this land and in
other lands-letters coming from New Zea-
land and Australia and utte:most parts Of
the earth, as well as from near nations, telling
me Of the souls have helped-I will visit
parted friends of the ministry engaged in
that delectable entertainment now.
But what are our departed Christian
friends, who in all departments OF usefulness
were busy, finding their chief JOY IN dong
good-what are they doing now? Going
right on with the work. John Howard visit
ing dungeons; the dead women Of Northern
and Southern battle-felds still abroad looking
for the wounded; George r.Pa Peabody yrqsth stu
SON still looking after the enslaved-
all Of those who did good on
earth buster since death than before. The
tombstone not the terminus but the starting
post. What are our departed Christian
friends, who found their chief joy in study
ing God, doing nowl Studying God yet;
No need of revelation now, for unblanched
the omnipotent thunderbolts just as child
handles the sword Of father come back
from victorious battle They have no sin,
nor fear consequently. Studying Christ,
not through a revelation, save the
revelation Of the scars, that deep
lettering which brings it all up quick enough.
Studying the Christ Of the Bethlehem cara
vansary, the Christ Of the awful massacre,
with its hemorrhage Of head and hand and
foot and side-the Christ Of the shattered
mausoleum-Chri the sacrifice, the star, the
sun, the man, the God, the Goldman, the man
God
But bark! the bell Of the cathedral rings
the cathedral bell Of heaven.
What is the matter nowl There Is going TO
be a great meeting in the temple. Worship
pers all coming through the aisles. Make
the temple. All heaven gathering around
Him. Those who loved the beautiful come to
look at the Rose of Sharon. Those who loved
music come to listen to His voice. Those who
were mathematicians come. to count
the years Of His rel i. Those who
were explorers come to discover the height
and the depth, and the length and
the breadth Of His love. Those who had the
military spirit on earth sanctifed; and the
military spirit in Heaven, come to look at
the Captain Of their salvation. The astrono-
mers come to look at the morning star. The
men Of the law come to look at Him who is
the Judge Of quick and dead. The men who
healed the sick come to look at Him who was
wounded for our transgressions.
All different and different forever in many
respects, yet all alike in admiration for
Christ, in worship for Christ, and all alike in
joining in the doIology: 'sUnto Him who
washed US from our sins il His own blood,
and made us kings and priests unto God, to
Him be glory in the church throughout all
ages, world without endi" Amen.